Feasibility Study of a Table Prototype Made of High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

Abstract

The challenging and innovative idea of realizing a table totally made of fiber-reinforced concrete is explored through an interdisciplinary research activity, where contributions coming from different fields (design, material science, experimental testing, numerical modeling) are combined. The paper describes the different phases of the study, starting from the design of the table, moving through the development of a purpose-made high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete and the mechanical characterization via experimental testing, and concluding with numerical modeling. Numerical results are determined by implementing a damage plasticity constitutive model in a finite element code. The mechanical response of the table has been analyzed for different loading and boundary conditions, and an exhaustive and complete picture of the possible failure mechanisms has been drawn. Simulations have clearly described the different stress-softening processes of damage evolution and plastic strains localization, pointing out the vulnerable parts of the table. Finally, strategies for improving the table mechanical performances are discussed.Technologies 2017, 5, 41 2 of 13 structural elements (beams, plates, etc.) or prefabricated components. Only recently, attention has been paid to their use in three-dimensional printing techniques of real buildings [8].In the present work, application of fiber-reinforced concretes to the field of design is explored. At present, just a few design objects made of concrete have been proposed (for instance, see [9]), where concrete is never used as structural material. Here we propose the study of a table totally made of FRC, which has been designed by Metrica srl, a design studio in Milan, Italy. The designers felt the need to design an object that could provide the same design answers of the structures conceived by the great engineer. "Lightness" is the word that describes the achievements in the field of structural engineer that ranged from functionalist expressions to more organic and freeform/nature-based shapes. In the world of domestic and contract furniture, results are often pointing toward the opposite direction. Moreover, weight is another key-factor to take into consideration. The table has been called "Nervi table", in tribute of Pier Luigi Nervi, engineer and architect worldwide known for his innovative use of reinforced concrete. Renderings of the table are proposed in Figure 1. As can be seen, because of its thin and slender form, the Nervi table represents an interesting structural challenge, achieved only by combining efforts from different research fields.

Efficient Design of Thin Wall Seating Made of a Single Piece of Heavy-Duty Corrugated Cardboard

“…In [3][4][5][6][7][8][9], we can find some studies on the FEA of wood furniture. Other previous research studies also considered other materials, such as laminated bamboo [10], honeycomb cardboard [11], corrugated cardboard [12] or fibrereinforced concrete [13].…”